Nat'l health insurance fiscal balance for foreigners tops 1 tln won in surplus last year

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SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- The fiscal balance of South Korea's national health insurance for foreigners posted a surplus exceeding 1 trillion won (US$753 million) for the first time last year, but the account for Chinese nationals swung to a deficit, data showed Sunday.

The fiscal balance for foreign nationals came to 1,012.8 trillion won in the black last year, up from 943.9 billion won the previous year, according to data submitted by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) to Rep. Jeon Jin-sook of the ruling party.

Insurance premium paid by foreign nationals totaled 2.54 trillion won, while medical expenses covered by the NHIS stood at 1.52 trillion won.

It marked the first time that the health insurance fiscal balance for foreigners posted a surplus topping 1 trillion won. It also represented the consecutive surplus streak since 2017.

But the fiscal balance for Chinese nationals logged a deficit of 40.9 billion won last year, turning from a surplus of 5.5 billion won in the previous year.

In 2025, insurance premiums collected from Chinese people totaled 956.4 billion won, while payouts shouldered by the NHIS for medical treatment reached 997.3 billion won, the data showed.

The health insurance account for Chinese posted a deficit for the seventh straight year in 2017 before swinging to a surplus in 2024.

By country, the fiscal balance for Vietnam logged the largest surplus of 160.1 billion won last year, followed by Nepal with 126.2 billion won and Indonesia with 91.8 billion won.

The South Korean government has been strengthening measures to plug financial leaks in the foreign health insurance system.

In July 2019, Seoul required foreigners staying in South Korea for six months or longer to subscribe to the national health insurance system.

Since April 2024, foreign nationals and overseas Koreans have been required to reside in South Korea for at least six months if they were to be registered as dependents of employee-based policyholders.

The deficit in the Chinese account could prompt opposition lawmakers to renew their call to introduce "reciprocity" in the foreign national health insurance.

They argue South Korea should restrict foreign nationals' insurance eligibility and coverage benefits commensurate with health insurance benefits provided to South Korean nationals by their home countries.

This file photo shows an office of the National Health Insurance Service in Seoul. (Yonhap)

sooyeon@yna.co.kr (END)

Delinquent health insurance premiums owed by foreigners total 37.5 bln won

Nat'l health insurance runs deficit in Q1

Nat'l health insurance fiscal balance for foreigners tops 1 tln won in surplus last year

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首尔，10月25日（韩联社）——韩国周日公布的数据显示，去年韩国外国人国民健康保险的财政收支首次出现超过1万亿韩元（7.53亿美元）的盈余，但中国国民的账户却出现赤字。

根据国民健康保险公团（NHIS）提交给执政党议员全真淑的数据，去年外国公民的财政盈余达到1012.8万亿韩元，高于前一年的9439亿韩元。

外国公民缴纳的保险费总额为 2.54 万亿韩元，而国民健康保险计划 (NHIS) 承担的医疗费用为 1.52 万亿韩元。

这是外国人健康保险财政收支首次实现超过1万亿韩元的盈余，也是自2017年以来连续第二个年实现盈余。

但去年中国公民的财政收支出现409亿韩元的赤字，而前一年则为55亿韩元的盈余。

数据显示，2025年，中国民众缴纳的保险费总额为9564亿韩元，而国民健康保险计划（NHIS）承担的医疗支出达到9973亿韩元。

2017年，中国人的医疗保险账户连续第七年出现赤字，预计2024年将转为盈余。

按国家划分，越南去年的财政盈余最大，达到 1601 亿韩元，其次是尼泊尔（1262 亿韩元）和印度尼西亚（918 亿韩元）。

韩国政府一直在加强措施，以堵住外国医疗保险体系中的资金漏洞。

2019 年 7 月，首尔要求在韩国居住六个月或以上的外国人必须加入国民健康保险制度。

自 2024 年 4 月起，外国公民和海外韩国人如要登记为雇员保单持有人的家属，则必须在韩国居住至少六个月。

中国账户的赤字可能会促使反对派议员再次呼吁在外国国民医疗保险中引入“互惠”原则。

他们认为，韩国应该限制外国公民的保险资格和保险范围，使其与韩国公民在其本国获得的医疗保险福利相称。

这张资料照片显示的是位于首尔的国民健康保险公团办公室。（韩联社）

sooyeon@yna.co.kr (完)

外国人拖欠的健康保险费总额达375亿韩元。

国民健康保险第一季度出现赤字

去年外国人国民健康保险财政盈余超过1万亿韩元